Double-draft kiln.



PATENT onnron.

DAVID R. GUISE, OFWVILLIAMSPORT,PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNO R TO JULIA H.GUISE, OF WILLIAMSPORT, PENNSYLVANIA.

' DOUBLE-DRAFT KIILN.

Specificationof Lette rs Patent.

rammed Au '7', 1906'.

Application filed-October 20, 1905- Serial No. 283,649.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, DAVID P. GUIsE, a citi- This invention relates tokilns for burning,

bricks or other articles of clay or pottery.

The object of the invention is to produce a kiln in which articles canbe burned with uniformity by firing at difierent times from oppositedirections. Preferably the first firing is from a lower set of furnaces,the upper furnaces being entirely closed. Afterward the firing. is fromthe upper furnaces, the lower furnaces being closed, as will beexplained.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a kiln embodying my invention, the earthbeing removed to show the underground portion. Fig. 2 is a verticalcentral section of the kiln, the stack being omitted. Fig. 3 is ahorizontal section on .two planes, the left-hand portion beingbelow thefloor and the right-hand section being through the upper furnaces.

The numeral 1 indicates the body of the kiln, which, as shown, iscylindrical, with a domed top 2. This form is considered preferable, butis not essential.

The lower furnaces 3 3 are below the level of the groundfor convenience.These furnaces have suitable grates 4 4 and ash-pits 5 5 of any approvedconstruction. Leading from the furnaces 8 there are tunnels 6, extendingtoward the center of the kiln, and connecting these there are smallertunnels 7. All these tunnels are built in the fire-brick foundation ofthe kiln, and the tunnels are so arranged as to conduct the heatdeveloped in the furnaces to substantially all parts of the base of thekiln. The abutments ,9 between the tunnels are built up of fireproofmaterial. The furnaces 3 are in the heavy base-wall A of the kiln.

Above the tunnels 6 and 7 there is a perforated fioor 10. The holes 11in this floor are directly above the tunnels 6 and 7, so that theproducts of combustion are conveyed from the furnaces through thetunnels and holes to the interior of the kiln.

Above the floor 10 the kiln extends to a sufficient height, accordingto'the work desired, and the cover 2 incloses it.

In the domed cover 2 there are a number of openings 12. These openings12 are ordinarily covered with covers 13. The heat from the furnaces 3after passing through the tunnels and the floor-openings escapes largelyto the stack 14through flue 15, which fluehas closing dampers 17 nearthe kiln and near 'the stack. Now when bricks are stacked in the kiln,as usual, for burning, the fire from the furnaces 3 circulates throughthem, and most of the escape of smoke and gases is to the stack. Holes12 are also usedas observation-holes, and if it at any time appears thatthe kiln is burning unevenly one or more of the covers to openings 12 isuncovered, thus making a vent through which heat and flame rush, drawingthe heat from other'parts of the kiln to the opened vents in the dome.The

heat can be thus controlled with great uniformity.

When it is considered that the lower furnaces have completed the burningas far as it is desirable for them to do so, the fires are drawn orsuffered to die out, and the mouths of the furnaces 3 and ash-pits 5 areclosed and hermetically sealed, as by luting. Then furnaces 23, whichhad been before tightly closed and sealed, are opened, and fires arebuilt therein.

Furnaces 23 are built in the upper walls B of the kiln, and each furnacehas a grate 24 and an ash-pit 25. The inner end of each furnace 23extends to a bag wall or flue 26, which bag wall or flue is preferablyof brick, closed at the bottom and opening at the top directly under theouter edge of the dome 2. A central well 27 extends down through themiddle of the kiln to the exit tunnel or flue 30 below the ground andleading to stack 14, as indicated in dotted lines, Fig. 1. This flue 30is carefully closed, as by a damper 29, when the lower tier of furnacesis in operation.

The openings 12 are closed and luted when the upper furnaces are burningbut to dampen the fires or cool any part of the kiln any one or more ofthese holes may be opened.

The flame and heat from furnaces 23 go up inside the bag-walls 26 andthence pass to the upper portion of the kiln, being drawn down by thetunnel 30 and so to the stack.

The bricks C to be burned are piled within the kiln about the centralwell and without much regard to the openings 11 in the floor, as theseholes should not be large enough to receive a brick, but will pass acurrent of heat and flame even if partly covered with bricks.

As the heat from the upper furnaces travels in reverse direction fromthat of the heat from the lower furnaces, it will have greatest effecton those bricks which were least burned by the action of the lowerfurnaces, and vice versa.

For convenience in filling and emptying the kiln a door 35 is provided,and a track 36 leads through the kiln and out of a similar door at theopposite side. The doors are closed and luted when the burning is goingon. Brickwork is generally employed for closing such openings whenpreparing to burn a ki 11.

I prefer that the upper furnaces shall outnumber the lower furnaces andthat they shallnot be directly over the lower furnaces,

being thus more convenient of access and giving also a more thoroughdistribution of heat.

and a flue leading from the upper part of the kiln to the stack, afurnace above the floor-level and a flue leading therefrom to the upperpart of the kiln, and a flue leading from the lower part of the kiln tothe before-mentioned stack.

3. In a double-burning kiln, the kiln-wall, cover, floor, and stack, afurnace below the part of the body of the kiln, a furnace above thefloor and flue leading therefrom to the up erpart of the kiln, andexhaust-flues provi ed with dampers, leading both from the upper andfrom the lower part of the kiln to the same stack, all in combination.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' DAVID P. GUISE. Witnesses:

J. O. HILL B. BERNDT floor and fiues leading therefrom to the lower

